inDocs inDexing Services

What About the Worthy Indexer?

2011-12-20T23:59:11Z

I first got to know Tim Brookes’ writing through his advert at the social media site LinkedIn. Tim mentioned that he had a book for sale called Thirty Percent Chance of Enlightenment and he offered a sample of the work to group members. It being a travel book - and one about India at that - I longed to be able to buy it, but alas, my funds at the time did not allow me to do so. I contacted Tim and said I had enjoyed the sample and dearly wanted to read the rest, but I had to “wish list” the book for a future happy date. Tim graciously said I could read the whole text for free, and sent it accordingly.

I read the book with great pleasure. I so appreciated Tim’s wit and the fascinating climate-related stories, such as the tale of rainmaker Charles Hatfield and activity at Mount Washington observatory, home of the world’s worst weather. The regions where Tim Brookes traveled - Kerala, for example - were just the areas I would have wanted to visit if I ever had a chance to explore India myself, so I was doubly intrigued. When I was through reading the text I was so grateful that I contacted Tim and offered to index the book as a way of showing my appreciation for his freely giving it to me.

At the time I began to index the book my mother-in-law began her process of dying, so it was at times difficult to concentrate, but Tim was extremely understanding about delays. Additionally, I was at the very end of my mentoring course with the renowned indexing instructor Kari Kells. When I showed her the finished index she was pretty much blown away - she said that the keywords chosen made her want to buy multiple copies, as the indexing terms made it seem like the text held tremendous promise, not to mention entertainment value!

I appreciated having Tim’s index to add to my marketing portfolio, and as the months passed I also enjoyed subscribing to his blogs. I became a Brookes evangelist and posted tweets and Facebook mentions whenever one of Tim’s new blog posts came out.

Tim contacted me at the beginning of November and asked if I minded if he mentioned me in one of those blog posts - like I would say no? Imagine my shock and delight when I read, “What About the Worthy Indexer?” where he praises the art of indexing and excerpts some of my key words! I was speechless, to say the least.

I knew that such appreciation for indexing would boost the spirits of indexing colleagues, so I sent a link to the review to every one of my indexing contacts. The next day, my email box was completely flooded with congratulations - and most importantly, new fans of Tim Brookes. Many indexers went on to re-post the article or to comment on it in their own blogs. Tim definitely caused a sensation and gave the indexing world a boost.

Influential members of the American Society for Indexing became aware of the now famous blogpost, and inquired about the possibility of having a member interview Tim for a future edition of Keywords. Indexer Chuck Ashton of Vermont was chosen and spent a lovely day doing the interview and visiting Champlain College, where Tim heads the Champlain Publishing Initiative.

I very much look forward to Tim’s future books and hope to get the chance to work with him again - it would be my great pleasure!

Jewish Economies Indexed

2011-09-17T04:37:25Z

Simon Kuznets

Jewish Economies is a two-volume set of texts by Nobel Prize winning economist Simon Kuznets (April 30, 1901 -July 8, 1985). I recently finished indexing volume II “Comparative Perspectives on Jewish Migration.” Volume I, which has recently been released, deals with the economic structure and growth of Euro-American Jewry. Both volumes share the same preface and introduction.

The Jewish contribution to the study of economics is briefly explored in the introduction, with insight into why it has been that so many Jews have been drawn to the field. Also in the introduction, the reader learns the personal background of Simon Kuznets, who was a refreshingly humble man and an objective, careful scholar.

As an immigrant from what is now Belarus, Kuznets embraced American assimilation so completely that he refrained from speaking to his children in Russian or Yiddish, and he took pains to give them a secular childhood. He didn’t want anti-Semitism to be a part of his children’s experience, and he also didn’t want it to stain his professional work. As a contributor to the scientific study of economics Kuznets wanted to be seen as an absolutely neutral authority. He felt if it was widely known that he did research on Jewish issues, he might be seen as having some sort of bias and that his work might be questioned. So, he didn’t promote his writing on Jewish topics, and many of his papers were either left un-translated or weren’t published at all. Now, decades after his passing, the neglected parts of his cannon are finally being released.

The first selection in Volume II of Jewish Economies explains the US census process and provides general information on immigration to the United States. The reader learns of the discrepancies and errors in census taking and what steps were taken to reconcile data. This first section doesn’t really highlight Jewish immigration in particular - that is left to the third chapter, which details the immigration process of Russian Jews to America. There the reader learns that the bulk of US Jewish immigrants came from the Russian Empire, which had its borders drastically changed after the Great War. Within that Russian group, it was Lithuanian Jews from the northwest region of the Pale that made the most moves, and it was New York City which drew them, especially since they were able to transfer their skills to create success in the clothing industry.

The middle section of the text highlights the economic success of Israel and explains the reasons for Israel’s high GDP and GNP. The immigrants to Israel tended to be highly educated and tremendously motivated. Recent Israeli immigrants soon matched the status of “veteran immigrants” so that the country did not experience a great gap between the rich and the poor. This made them unique, and Kuznets provides many tables to illustrate the amazing triumph of the Israeli economy.

Kuznets was careful to stick to facts and numbers in his work and refused to go too far into speculation. So, although Kuznets brings up many interesting points in the text he leaves it to future researches to explore them further. Jewish Economies is a great starting point for those wishing to study the Russian Diaspora, Israeli success, and the history of immigration in the United States.

Jewish Economies Volume II will be released in 2012 by Transaction Publishers.

Index for Godly Seed

2011-08-15T05:29:06Z

Godly Seed is the history of the birth control movement in America from 1873, when the prohibitive federal Comstock Law took effect, to 1973, when the passage of Roe v. Wade made abortion a legal option.

After a short section on reproductive issues in ancient times and a primer on the views of the Protestant Reformers on fertility and marriage, the author delves into the legacy of the formidable Anthony Comstock. Comstock, of Puritan descent, devoted his life to the suppression of sexual information.

Equating contraception with abortion and pornography and working with organizations like the YMCA, Comstock lobbied politicians until laws were passed in each state forbidding the possession of contraceptive devices, obscene material, and abortifacients.

The federal Comstock Law resulted in the arrests of hundreds of business owners and individuals who bought or sold such materials.

So much fear was generated due to the Comstock Law that publishing houses no longer produced medical textbooks containing information on reproduction.

Nurse Margaret Sanger had a patient who died due to a botched abortion. When Sanger tried to conduct research into the human reproductive system to try to understand what had gone wrong with the pregnancy termination, she was appalled to discover that due to the Comstock Law she could find no information on the subject.

Sanger then decided to make it her life’s mission to undo the work of Anthony Comstock and to make reproductive information not only available, but to make contraception seem respectable by renaming it first “birth control” then “family planning.”

Sanger went on to help found the Planned Parenthood Association of America, which stressed the notion that the ideal family was one in which each child was scheduled for birth according to the needs and desires of the parents, rather than a family whose children were born by chance.

Christians had traditionally adhered to the idea that God would decide how many children should be born to each family, and they eschewed contraception. However, with the passage of time and the new fear of world overpopulation, some began to rethink this notion.

One of the public figures who helped Evangelicals in particular to accept birth control and thus help to cut down on the population explosion was preacher Billy Graham. In his worldwide revival crusades Graham had seen firsthand what overpopulation could do to a country.

Concerned and wanting to do something to help, Graham commissioned Christian theologians and founded Christianity Today magazine, which had the early mission of convincing Protestant Christians that contraception was not only acceptable to God, but that it could possibly be a sin not to engage in birth control.

Christianity Today sponsored reproduction symposiums and even editorialized that abortion was a valid choice for the Christian believer.

Catholicism had never found birth control or abortion acceptable options, but all the Evangelical discussion on the subject of reproductive choice sparked debate within the American Catholic community.

Many Catholics hoped that the Pope would agree with the new views of Evangelicals with his Humane Vitae encyclical, but this was not to be - the Pope sided with tradition.

One group of Protestant Christians applauded the Pope’s stance - the Fundamentalists. Convinced that Evangelicals had become too liberal and had gone too far with their acceptance of abortion, a group of Fundamentalists decided to return to strict Biblical teaching on fertility.

These believers founded the Quiverfull movement, which holds that families with large numbers of children are especially blessed by God.

The Quiverfull adherents do not use contraception and they trust that overpopulation will be remedied by God, in that He will always provide for believers.

Godly Seed is well-written and objective - one is never sure to which side of the contraception debate the author adheres, with the exception that the reader is sure to realize that Gnostics are not a particularly favorite group of Mr. Carlson.

Godly Seed is available from Amazon.

This title has not yet been released.

You may pre-order it now and we will deliver it to you when it arrives.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available.

Stumbling Upon A Brilliance

2011-08-04T17:39:06Z

My first paid indexing job was a book on hospice care and counseling, written by a chaplain. I was offered this assignment due to my indexing specialty being with spiritual and religious texts. Naturally I was overjoyed to work on my first paid gig.

But the subject had me spooked.

I had had my first experience with hospice just a few months earlier, when my mother-in-law passed away. I really didn't understand the process at that time, though.

Through indexing this text I was able to get over some of my fear of the dying process and the issues that inevitably arise from it.

Little did I know that I would soon put to use what I had just learned when a family friend, Annie, was diagnosed with a rare stage four cancer and entered into hospice care soon afterward. My sister was distraught, as Annie was not only her neighbor, but her young son was best friends with my niece.

I was so grateful that I had the hospice book on my shelf (the chaplain had sent me a signed copy) and was able to loan it to my sister so that she could find some comfort and understanding in Annie's last days.

My elderly father is ill with post-polio syndrome now and not yet in hospice care. But if hospice becomes his path, I will once again bring out this wonderful text and leaf through the index, looking for comfort and guidance.

"King of Clubs: The Great Golf Marathon of 1938" by Jim Ducibella

2011-07-24T23:44:21Z

I was first introduced to the manuscript for the golfing memoir 'King of Clubs' when I struck up a conversation with a fellow member of the networking site LinkedIn. We were discussing the short window of time that freelancers have to complete an index, as it is the final activity before a manuscript goes to publication.

Author Jim Ducibella expressed his concerns. He was in the process of final editing and deciding whether he wanted to have an index to accompany his text.

I asked to have a look at the manuscript, and after reviewing it, I let him know that an index would definitely add value—not to mention a scholarly sheen—to his work.

I also saw—because it is not only the history of two particular golf marathons in the 1930s, but a memoir of golfer James Ferebee—that it would be a complex text to work with. I knew I would have to do some special research on biographical techniques.

So, we made an agreement that I would create a preliminary index to get a head start before the final pages were due. We felt that it would be a greater service to the index to take this extra step, rather than waiting until there was just a two-week window to complete the assignment.

Since beginning this project I have been consulting colleagues through various indexing forums on the technicalities. I have even set up a small group of students who will be practicing with this text.

They are feeling a bit intimidated to be working on one of the most difficult types of indexes, but once they are finished and their work is peer-reviewed they can be proud of the hard work they have done.

One of the written sources I have consulted is an article by Hazel Bell from "The Indexer" magazine's April 1989 issue:

Indexing biographies:
lives do bring their problems (PDF).

Ms. Bell, *the* authority on biographical indexing, explains that the difference between indexing technical material and "soft" material (such as memoirs) is that there is no right answer when it comes to making index decisions.

That is, there is a lot more leeway for style choices in biographical indexes.

This can frighten an indexer who is more comfortable following strict indexing standards. Indexing of memoirs can also require extra queries and research on the part of the indexer, which can irk those who pride themselves on speed.

Key terms in biographical indexes have an ambiguity that is lacking in technical material.

For example, does "marriage" mean simply the wedding date, or does it mean events throughout the lives of the couple?

Does "family" include siblings and parents, as well as the children of the main subject?

Ms. Bell also warns that great care must be taken in keyword selection.

As an example, the author may tip-toe around someone's sexuality, but the indexer may decide to enter "Smith, Joe, homosexuality of." This could potentially result in a libel suit…

Another point made by Hazel Bell is that a biographical index looks better when using the run-in style as distinct from indented style.

She argues that an indented index for a biography gives a "disjointed effect," whereas a run-in index is better suited to a memoir because it provides a continuous sequence, i.e. a narrative effect that reads and flows better.

Finally, it is suggested that the indexer not shy away from a longer-than-usual list of undifferentiated locators.

With traditional indexes, it is advised to break out into subheadings after five locators.

Ms. Bell argues that to break out just to follow traditional rules, may lead the reader to believe that the mentions are more substantial than they are—causing disappointment in the reader believing that there is going to be more of a weighty discussion.

Rather, Ms. Bell reassures the indexer, if the mentions are slight, then the presence of many undifferentiated locators tells a worthy "story of its own."

This title has not yet been released.

You may pre-order it now and we will deliver it to you when it arrives.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available.

The Master Cleanse

2010-12-09T06:43:20Z

Last month (Nov '10) I was looking forward to attending a chapter meeting of the American Society for Indexing (ASI) in Palm Springs when I received notice that the event was canceled.

Instead of whiling away my suddenly-free weekend, I decided to actively scour various publishing job sites for work. Lo and behold, the perfect gig was advertised — a rush job indexing the third edition of a worldwide best-seller.

I jumped on it, placed my bid, and to my delight, after a phone interview with the author, I was chosen to index Lose Weight, Have More Energy, & Be Happier in 10 Days -- the beloved companion book to The Master Cleanse.

The Master Cleanse was developed fifty years ago by healer Stanley Burroughs as a method of detoxification.

To activate the cleanse one drinks a combination of lemon juice, maple syrup and cayenne pepper for ten days, which balances the acidic/alkaline levels of the body and promotes a feeling of health.

Toxins are flushed from the body through ingesting salt water in the mornings and drinking a mild laxative tea in the evenings. These two liquid concoctions act as a type of colonic, washing away old fecal matter.

With each passing day of the cleanse, cravings, fatigue and irritability fade, until one's true personality (usually expected to be pleasant, calm and balanced) emerges. At the end of the cleanse one may have lost up to 20 lbs., although the point of the cleanse is to eliminate toxicity more than to lose weight.

The author of Lose Weight, Have More Energy, & Be Happier in 10 Days, Peter Glickman, has had much success with the first two editions of his book, selling it in health food stores around the world and through his website.

Many people prefer Glickman's book to the original by Burroughs because it includes testimonies, questions and experiences of scores of people who have gone through the cleanse and reported their findings in online forums.

Despite its success, however, Lose Weight, Have More Energy is still not known to middle America, i.e. the Walmart shopper who never sets foot in a health food store and who has only vaguely heard of the "Lemonade Diet" due to singer Beyonce having done the cleanse to prepare for her role in "Dreamgirls."

Peter feels that by including an index to the third edition, the book will appeal to average readers because they will be much more able to navigate the material and thus will find the text to be more accessible, less daunting.

Time will tell if this turns out to be the case. Lose Weight, Have More Energy, & Be Happier in 10 Days, 3rd edition, comes out in January 2011.

My own testimony is that after having indexed the book I became very motivated to try the cleanse for myself, and during Thanksgiving week I did just that.

While it was difficult in the beginning, due to starting the cleanse just when I contracted what turned out to be a bad case of bronchitis, by the end I definitely felt it was worth it, and I look forward to doing it again and experiencing the serenity and freedom that results from the experience of detoxification.

Lose Weight, Have More Energy, & Be Happier in 10 Days, 3rd edition

(Buy it) Amazon.com [paperback]

ISBN 978-0975572252

Beta-Reading

2010-10-13T16:51:21Z

The function of a beta-reader is to look over an author's unpublished work in order to offer gentle critiques and grounded encouragement. The text a beta-reader views is not so much a work-in-progress as a semi-finished product. Thus, beta-readers don't help with the process of creating a book; they help make it better once it is more or less complete.

The "alpha read" or first power-read of a text is done by the author. The beta-read is the second pass, in which improvements are suggested and "good parts" are pointed out. It is the third version, after suggestions by the beta-reader have been considered, that is ultimately presented to an editor, publisher, or literary agent.

The beta-reader is usually previously unknown to the author, and is solicited through writing boards or forums. Beta-readers are valued because they are believed to be more objective critics than loved ones or friends. Yet, a beta-reader isn't expected to be as "hard-core" as a traditional editor would be — a beta-reader is meant to be less of a corrector and more of a "reading-buddy."

My first experience with beta-reading was with a Young Adult novel called Solstice, by a teacher from Texas named Melissa Dean. I am fortunate that this first beta-read was of a text that was so well-written. The story deals with a male angel and his relationship to a high-school girl, and naturally I couldn't help comparing their situation to that of Edward and Bella in the Twilight series. I could honestly see this book, Solstice, becoming a hit once published.

I also consider myself lucky to have done beta-reading for an author who goes by the name of Gemini Wolf. Gemini Wolf advertised for an editor at the Elance freelance website but in answering his ad I convinced him that with the type of material he had to work with, he would be better served by a beta-reader. Editors dissect the lines of a text in a linear fashion, with a sharp focus. While that is valuable, beta-readers are encouraged to take a more organic approach to discussing the text, almost commenting on it in a more stream-of-consciousness manner. This kind of response can work very well for an author who is looking for comments on the feel of a piece rather than grammar corrections.

Due to my background in religious studies, I am interested in spiritual literature of all sorts. Thus I was delighted when I took on the beta-reading of When Two World Collide by author Cindy Bolton. In this story, a doctor's life changes when an Amish patient is put under her care. It is a given in the Christian publishing world that Amish fiction is the new "it." Readers can't get enough of all things Amish, and Cindy's book fits right in.

The earliest beta-readers were fantasy/science fiction fans. An "old-school" beta-reader was expected to be well-versed in the particulars of a certain series, world, or canon in order to make the kind of observations that only a true "fan boy/girl" would be capable of. Beta-reading has now expanded to other genres, and at the present time is particularly appreciated by authors of historical fiction.

Because different beta-readers will bring different strengths to the review of a text, and because one person cannot spot everything, it is recommended that an author take on more than one beta-reader per manuscript. But, the author should keep in mind that it is less important to find a so-called "good" beta-reader than it is to find a match, to find someone who has a real affinity for the material.

For those who are interested in becoming a beta-reader or in finding one, a good place to start is by checking out the beta-readers group at the Writers' Digest website.

Relaxing into Meditation

2010-07-30T02:19:45Z

Ngakma Nor'dzin

Relaxing into Meditation is the best book on meditation I've ever read, and I've been browsing them since the mid-70's. I say this because of the distinction made between relaxation and meditation, and the explanation of why relaxation must happen before meditation can begin. I have never seen it spelled out so clearly before, and in such a gentle, non-didactic manner. The writing draws you in and you come to love the teacher as if you were also a member of one of her meditation groups. I love that the chapters are short and not overwhelming. The author doesn't talk down to the reader and isn't too folksy. It is simple, but not "meditation for dummies."

Some years ago I was watching a cable-access show presented by one of the guru-types that so frequently make appearances on such venues. One thing he mentioned came through loud and clear. In his discussion on meditating the guru explained that one can't just jump into meditation and expect it to "work." Rather, he said that "the secret" is that your focus should be on "becoming meditative" rather than "meditating." That is, if you stop putting the emphasis on attempting to have the perfect meditation experience and just relax by performing the preliminaries, a meditative state will come upon you in a natural, non-forced manner.

This struck me, for having read various meditation books through the years I would become motivated to practice but would stop and start, becoming bored or frustrated with my lack of "progress." Thus, hearing about the idea of not trying so hard at it, but just relaxing into "becoming meditative" was very appealing. Unfortunately, I never saw that presenter's show again so I never learned what it meant to "become meditative" - that is, until I read Relaxing into Meditation.

The beauty of the text is in the presentation of the ways of becoming meditative, i.e. through breath-work, song or movement. Each exercise is enough in itself. There is no pressure to move on to the next technique, and the benefits of each level are given respect. That is not to say one is not invited to try other meditative techniques, just that each one is whole and respected in itself.

The illustrations of the text along with the warm and friendly manner in which it is written make attempting each new meditative technique a real pleasure. This is a fabulous book for those who have been curious about meditation but were a little hesitant, feeling they didn't have "the right stuff" to be successful at it. The text is gentle and fun and calmly inspiring, and even if you have dabbled in meditation before you'll learn new ways to think about what you have been doing. Relaxing into Meditation is sure to become a classic.

Relaxing into Meditation

(Buy it) Amazon.com [paperback]

ISBN 978-1-898185-17-8

Excerpt on Scribd

Press Release:

What exercises and practices will help us to live a life free of stress? Ngakma Nor'dzin, a Western Buddhist Lama, guides us through relaxation and breathing exercises that lead into meditation. The methods are described in friendly and accessible language, and will enhance the lives of those who practise them.

Details: Described by one reviewer as "the best book on meditation I've ever read", Relaxing into Meditation is an accessible guide to relaxation and meditation.

Relaxing into Meditation begins with relaxation and breathing techniques specifically aimed at creating relaxation of the body and calmness of mind before embarking on meditation practices which may be more demanding. In this way it provides a place where anyone can begin, without any prior experience.

Relaxation techniques and breathing exercises enable us to be calmer human beings. Through learning to quieten the breath and relax the body, we can approach the circumstances of our lives in a calmer and more relaxed manner. Discovering relaxation offers the opportunity to begin to practise meditation

Meditation enables us to unravel unhelpful emotional fixations. Our intellect can become clearer and more focused through allowing the chatter of our minds to subside. We can discover the nature of who we are at a deep and profound level through meditative practice.

As well as explaining relaxation and meditation, Relaxing Into Meditation also describes how to make aids to practice including various styles of cushion and a Tibetan sitting strap.

Relaxing into Meditation is illustrated throughout, showing the postures that are used in each of the practices.

Relaxing into Meditation has been indexed by Rossinna Ippolito.

About Ngakma Nor'dzin:

Ngakma Nor'dzin is known for the natural down-to-earth realism of her presentation - and her wealth of experience in helping people with everyday problems. She is loved particularly for her warmth and friendliness, her sense of humour and her down-to-earth answers to students' questions. Ngakma Nor'dzin is the author of Spacious Passion which explains the fundamental Buddhist teachings as relevant to our everyday lives.

2010 GMC Terrain Video | Tilt Shift

2010-06-23T01:23:13Z

Check this video out. My daughter Autumn Rose is the little blond girl in the pink (alt purple) jacket.

inDocs on the Web

2010-01-18T04:44:40Z

The Indexer

The Indexer is an international journal of indexing that comes out four times a year and addresses issues pertinent to back-of-the-book and online indexing. Topics include reviews of indexing software, articles on the history of indexing, tips on creating indexing websites, references to training and courses, and much more.

A regular section called "Around the World" provides a roundup of indexing happenings and events. The latest "Around the World" was edited by eminent Australian indexer, Glenda Browne, with the topic "How indexers use social media in their indexing careers".

Also,

Tim Brookes: Author of "Thirty Percent Chance Of Enlightenment" (Buy it)

Tim Brookes, musician, world traveler, and professor at Champlain College in Vermont, is the author of numerous books including the cult classic, "Hell of a Place to Lose a Cow." He has been a contributor to National Public Radio for years and reprints some of his NPR pieces every Sunday on his website at www.timbrookesinc.com.

Tim's latest book is "Thirty Percent Chance of Enlightenment" -- published in the fall of 2009 through the Champlain College Publishing Initiative. Publishing in this manner allowed his students to learn about the publishing of a manuscript from
A—Z.

When a sample of the text was offered to Linked-In group members, I expressed avid interest. I was then graciously provided a PDF of the whole megillah. Having enjoyed myself so thoroughly reading the book and wanting to thank Tim for the opportunity (and for being such a fabulous writer!), I offered to index it for him.

Tim will be including my index in the next edition of his book. After reviewing the index, he wrote : "I'm touched, almost overwhelmed. This is a remarkable document, and it's just stunning that anyone should pay such close attention to my story and my work. I can't thank you enough."

Oh, p'shaw - it was a pleasure!

Review on Amazon.com:

Travel writer Tim Brookes began his assignment with National Geographic magazine intending to enlighten himself and his readers about weather forecasting in South India. Finding himself barred from the official national weather stations, Brookes was forced to change his plans. With the help of Faith (a spiritual tour guide) he decided to save the assignment by continuing his research in a more informal manner, touring the land in order to interview regular citizens about their experiences with the monsoon.

On his road (and canal) trip through Southern India, Brookes not only got the local scoop about the monsoon but he also gained unexpected enlightenment about the perils of traveling in an auto-rickshaw, combatting relentless mosquitoes with grace, and relying on the game of cricket as a grounding tool.

Readers of "Thirty Percent" also gain unexpected enlightenment, through learning the history of weather, getting insight into how different countries deal with forecasting (newsflash - not every country is as weather-obsessed as the US) and through acquiring a deeper respect for the role of water in all our lives.

The text is so enjoyable not only because it is witty in that British-humor manner and not just because Brookes has such a warm style, but because it is written in such an absorbing way that readers feel like they're right there with the author, experiencing the events as a companion. Readers share Brooke's frustration and disappointment with the India Meteorological Department, the fear of imminent nuclear war between India and Pakistan, and delight in discovering exotic ways to bring about rain, such as the marriage of donkeys and plowing fields in the nude.

Read "Thirty Percent Chance of Enlightenment" and meet the combat weathermen; wonder at the girl who married a banana tree; and follow the recipe provided to make your own version of the Indian delicacy known as "payasam." Don't read the book too quickly, though. Savor it, take your time, and the journey will affect your dreams. And, if the book intrigues you enough to want to travel in Tim Brooke's footsteps, do contact Windows on the World Travel - Faith turns out to be as wonderful as she is portrayed.

Helvetica, The Movie

2009-11-17T07:27:29Z

This eighty-minute documentary from 2007 is a film celebrating the most popular, successful and beloved font of the past fifty years. Available for instant viewing on Netflix, it is heartily recommended for indexers. It will give you an added appreciation of the power of this classic font. (inDocs inDexing gives it three stars.)

http://www.helveticafilm.com/

Named after the Latin word for Switzerland, Helvetica was released to the world in 1957. It had been just a dozen years since WWII instigated tremendous upheaval. Survivors were still in their rebuilding and recovery phase and more amenable than usual to changes. Helvetica was born in this modern atmosphere to idealistic Swiss graphic artists willing to experiment with new forms. To express their love of neutrality, rationality and order, Helvetica's inventors crafted these qualities into a superior sans-serif font.

A serif font has embellishments at the end of the letters, whereas sans-serif fonts do not. The sans-serif Helvetica was developed to be as smooth, symmetrical and balanced as possible, with special attention placed on the spaces between letters. The resulting font improved readability and clarity and even produced a feeling of "ultimate rightness" in readers that went beyond a question of taste.

Prior to the development of Helvetica the cluttered, distracting look of myriad fonts was the norm in print ads. Once Helvetica was applied to advertisements, and shown to make messages more powerful, companies became eager to utilize "the badge of modern society" to replace their old fonts. Making the change to Helvetica was said to be thrilling—akin to having cold water thrown upon oneself after crawling through the desert.

Helvetica became the preferred font on pre-packaged products, road signage and even on tax forms. Early adopters such as American Airlines and the New York City subway system quickly helped to make Helvetica font seem normal and natural. Once Helvetica became ubiquitous people took it for granted. And they soon forgot it hadn't always been around.

By the 1970's Helvetica was considered penultimate. Many truly felt that a better font would never be invented. Yet there was rebellion against Helvetica in the post-modern era of the 1980's in which deconstruction and challenge of text was de rigeur. Graphic artists felt that one way to participate in the post-modern sensibility was to eschew the now mainstream, predictable and familiar font that carried the messages of capitalism and globalization. The neutrality of Helvetica was thrown over for edgy fonts that deliberately caused emotional response upon viewing them.

The font rebellion was short-lived, though. By the late 1990's the print world was ready to go back to Helvetica's classic look. Old school purists retained the notion that it was threatening to visual communication to use any font except Helvetica. But most graphic artists and advertisers welcomed the diversity of old and decided to utilize Helvetica, as well as other fonts.

The Indexing Companion

2009-10-19T03:03:18Z

"The Indexing Companion" by Glenda Browne is a great resource for the intermediate indexing student, especially when used in tandem with the "Indexing Companion Workbook." Most American indexing students start out with using the texts, "Indexing Books" by Nancy Mulvany and the indexing section of the "Chicago Manual of Style." Once the student has digested the information in those two guides, "The Indexing Companion" is a fabulous third source. The book is aimed at the Australian market, but that does not in the least mean that the information is not applicable to indexing students of all countries, as most of the tips and techniques discussed apply to indexing in general. (Buy it) "The Indexing Companion" and its workbook are definitely worth your time and investment.

Oma by Oma Ellis

2009-07-08T06:16:15Z

Having miraculously survived the 1918 flu pandemic, Oma Ellis singlehandedly raised a family while going back and forth from TX to CA holding Pentecostal revivals.

Oma's story is partly a travelogue - she tells what it was like to traverse the southwest by car in the years before the second World War, with descriptions of sleeping on the side of the road, searching for radiator water in the desert, and working odd jobs along the way to raise gas money. "Oma" is also a fascinating look at just what went on in the brush arbor revivals that were commonly held in the early 20th century - the kind which featured speaking in tongues and holy laughter and water baptism solely in the name of Jesus.

Additionally, "Oma" is a success story -- enduring misogyny, slander, and prejudice, Oma became a highly respected preacher at a time when female ministers were viewed as an anomaly. At its core, however, "Oma" is a book of inspiration meant to promote devotion and faith. In this, it succeeds admirably, no doubt leaving many a reader with the urge to shout, "hallelujah" at the book's conclusion, in praise of the awesome Oma Francis Ellis.

Review posted at Amazon.com:

(Blanking) an Index

2009-04-12T21:13:57Z

What is it that professional indexers do? Do indexers construct an index, draft an index, provide an index, etc...?

To say one compiles an index is not encouraged, because of the connotation of a computer compiling information. That is, to compile an index makes it seem like a mechanical, not a human, activity.

A specialist in books on yarn work says she crafts an index, while the cookbook expert proclaims she prepares indexes. One indexer with a legal background likes to think of himself as drawing an index, as one would draw up a will. Then there is the poetry fan, who composes indexes.

Some might think it is easiest just to state that indexers write an index and leave it at that, but there is resistance to that wording as well, with the reason being given that the action of indexing is not the same kind of endeavor as writing a thesis or a novel or even a letter.

Because there is no consensus, it may be said that what indexers do for a living is to create an index, for there seems to be no strenuous objection to that term. However, index developer may be a good candidate for promotion, as it goes along the lines of web developer and program developer in this computer age.

As one contributor to Index-L stated, maybe we should just think of indexing as akin to the act of the parting the Red Sea, "It's part reading, it's part analysis, it's part writing, it's part just typing, it's part creative editing, it's part agonizing, it's part swearing, it's part . . ."

Sister Sister

2009-04-09T05:26:43Z

Chicago Manual of Style 18.39 (15th edition) lists how to index clerical titles but does not mention how to index the names of nuns. Nuns are commonly known only by their first name and title and not by their family name. Indexers frown upon listing a person by their first name, but may do so if that is the only name consistently used throughout a text. An indexer seemingly faces a dilemma when an author discusses a nun as, for example, "Sister Mary" in one passage and in another refers to her as "Mary Smith." Although most people would know the nun primarily as "Sister Mary" now the last name has become known to the reader. So, which is the correct entry for the Sister?

a) Smith, Sister Mary
b) Sister Mary (Smith)
c) Mary (Smith), Sister

The answer, according to consensus on Indexers Discussion List, is to double-post choice "a" and choice "c." All agree -- do not enter under "Sister."